Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2017
Sponsor: SAM JOHNSON (R-TX)
(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to provide for the establishment and governance of association health plans (AHPs), which are group health plans sponsored by business associations. The bill establishes requirements for AHPs relating to certification, sponsors and boards of trustees, participation and coverage, nondiscrimination, contribution rates, and voluntary termination. AHPs offering benefits that are not health insurance must: (1) establish and maintain sufficient reserves and stop-loss insurance to cover those benefits, and (2) make annual payments to a fund to be used to pay for stop-loss insurance for such AHPs for which there is a reasonable expectation that claims would not be satisfied without such insurance.
Health Topic assigned by the Congressional Research Service.
Who won, and how much of the country was behind them
The dotted gap is 5.5% of U.S. adults whose member did not vote, voted “present,” or whose seat was vacant.
| Side | Outcome | Votes | Share of U.S. adults |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yea | Won | 236 | 54.1% |
| Nay | Lost | 175 | 40.4% |
| Not represented on this question | No position taken | 0 | 5.5% |